Breakaway
by Vera Roberts
Summary: AU - Alternate Universe. OC (original character). He's stuck at the worst airport in all of America – Chicago's infamous O'Hare. At least the company he's keeping isn't too bad to look at. He only needs to convince her there can be something more if she wants it – and if she doesn't kill him first.
1. Chapter 1

The output of support was overwhelming.

Fans from all over the world, people he didn't even think would watch hockey, had been sending him condolences left and right. Of course, there were a few unsavory characters that were selfish in their well wishes – hoping his grief wouldn't impact his play on the ice too hard. Dean Ambrose shrugged it off. For every ten people, there was going to be at least one asshole.

Nevertheless, he needed to brush aside all anguish and hurt. He needed to be back in Los Angeles before tomorrow night's game. His coach suggested he take more off in dealing with his grief but Dean wouldn't hear of it. He needed to be on the ice to be distracted.

He sat down on the porch outside, sipping hot chocolate and checking his Twitter mentions when his mother joined him. "I was looking for you. I was hoping you didn't take off before I had a chance to say goodbye." Melissa Ambrose sat next to her youngest son. Slender with long blonde hair and sharp hazel eyes, Melissa prided herself on being the biggest cheerleader for her children. Both of her sons credited her unwavering support as a big factor in their successes.

"Nah, I wouldn't leave without saying goodbye to my favorite girl." Dean smiled. "I was just out here reflecting on everything."

Melissa smiled and took a sip of hot chocolate. "Your dad was very proud of you, Dean. He watched all of the games and bragged to everyone he knew that his son was the NHL's leading scorer," Melissa smiled. "And when you won the Stanley Cup last season, he really couldn't shut up about it!"

Dean grinned. If anyone loved hockey, it was his father. He was the reason why Dean picked up a hockey stick to begin with. Years of ice skating lessons followed and a successful career in college where he scouted by many different teams, he signed with the Los Angeles Kings and transported himself to a land of debauchery, beaches, and women. He offered to move his family to L.A. but his father wouldn't hear of it. _We're based here and we're staying here_, he once proclaimed. It didn't mean they wouldn't visit but if Dean wanted more than a weeklong stay from his folks and brother, it meant him going to Chicago.

The last time he was in Chicago, it was during the summer after he won the Cup. He was allowed to bring it with him and everyone took turns posing and taking pictures with it. His father got a real kick out of it and used the cup as a makeshift margarita bowl for a family celebration in Dean's honor.

Dean didn't realize he would be back so soon under more unfortunate circumstances. "He was always a huge hockey fan." He stated.

"He was your number fan!" Melissa grinned. "I want you to remember that as you travel back."

"I'll never forget it," Dean shuddered a little as a cold gush swept through the front porch. "The offer to move to L.A. still stands, Mom."

"My life is here in Lincoln Park." She proudly stated. "I've been here all my life and I don't plan on leaving quite yet. Besides you need to come back to when times get hard again."

Dean was about to ask her what she meant but it occurred to him she was talking about the infamous lockouts in 2004 and 2012. He went to Europe to play and keep up on his skills, refusing to be a sitting doormat at his home in Redondo Beach. When the negotiations concluded, Dean returned home and completed the season along with his fellow teammates. "I wouldn't say things were hard, per se." Dean recalled, fondly remember the time he spent entertaining groupies between games. "But it wasn't ideal, yes."

"Still, you have a place to come home if that happens again. Heaven forbid…" Melissa shook her head.

"I'm pretty comfortable if you're inquiring about me financially," Dean politely reminded his mother. Despite signing a huge multimillion-dollar contract, his mother somehow got in her head that he was still the struggling college student who often went to bed hungry.

"I just want to make sure you're okay." She smiled again. She glanced down at the fancy Cartier watch Dean gifted to her last Christmas. "You need to head to the airport, honey. You're going to miss your flight."

Dean stared out into the snow-covered street. He wasn't entirely sure he was going to go anywhere at that point. "I'll get ready. Are you sure you'll be okay? I can always cancel my flight and stay a few more days."

"You staying here isn't going to help anyone and you're going to be bored just watching over me." Melissa reached over and grabbed her son's hand, squeezing it tight. "I'll be fine, Dean."

Dean got up and pulled his mother into a long and tight embrace. "If you want me to come home, just say the word. If you want to move to L.A., just say the word."

"I'll be fine here, don't worry about me. Worry about defending your title, okay?" Melissa encouraged her son. "I'll be rooting for you from here."

Dean gathered up his luggage and waited for the taxi to take him back to the airport. He kissed his mother one last time and left. She said she was going to be okay and he believed her. He just hoped she wouldn't be so lonely during the upcoming winter months.

His father was everything to her and the family. His absence was going to be largely felt.


	2. Chapter 2

_Three weddings in one year. I think that's enough to last me a few lifetimes._

Sydney Walker finished packing her suitcase and double-checked she had everything. The four-inch stilettos that cramped her pinky toes? Check. The too-tight bridesmaid dress that required her to wear one of those 'sucker inner' panties? Check. The fake eyelashes along with the caked-on makeup that accompanied the equally hideous hairpiece she needed to wear that required she had a little extra 'oomph'? Oh, hell, no. She made sure those were in the trash bin. If she weren't in her hotel room, she would've burned that shit.

The things a girl would do for her fellow sorority sisters.

She only graduated from college just a couple of years ago and it seemed she was the very last one of the bunch who was still single. It got to the point that her fellow sorors felt so sorry for her, at the last wedding, the bride simply handed the bouquet to Sydney.

_Bitch_.

She wasn't single because of choice, but rather circumstance. She's had many relationships, some of them long-term. But when it was clear marriage and children were not in the picture, she simply bounced. There was no point of wasting her time if both parties didn't share the end goal.

In her mind, she was probably too young to get married. She just barely turned 24 a month ago and she wanted just a bit more experience before she became someone's wife and mother. She wasn't sure what experience she was looking for but something more than what life currently gave her, which was little to nothing.

Nevertheless, the many weddings turn Sydney into a miniature expert in crisis management. Whenever a maid of honor failed to do the very basic of duties, Sydney stepped up to the plate. If something was missing, Sydney seemed to find it. If the bride was getting cold feet, it was Sydney that convinced her the man waiting for her at the altar was the very best she was going to get.

She was a godsend in the land of Vera Wang bridal gowns, monogrammed napkins, and Jordan almonds.

Now reality was calling her back home. Her managerial position at Macy's in Union Square was flexible enough for her to leave for a few days but a few days was all she was going to get. The upcoming holiday season meant long hours and the dreaded Black Friday, which meant she was going to be working sometime on Thanksgiving Thursday. She would get a single plate of food and finish it just in time to head to the store and began stocking up.

_The life of a retailer. _

She looked out the window one last time and saw the snow was coming in a bit harder than it was before. It was rare that she saw snow and enjoyed her time playing in it and creating snow angels with the children of wedding party, fantasizing about one day doing the same with her own kids. That was a great fantasy but she needed to get back to the reality known as her life. She needed to head to the airport now before she was stuck.

Maybe on the flight back, she might finally meet someone. A forever, soul-crushing love? Probably not the sort. But maybe someone who could entertain her and keep her from sinking down to a depression about her singledom. She was returning home to an empty, overpriced apartment where she lived next to newlyweds. She thanked the Good Lord for noise-canceling headphones.

Being a bridesmaid was officially getting old and tired but it was a step up from being lonely and single. She had enough for it to last a few lifetimes.


	3. Chapter 3

She should've been in shock and horror but she wasn't. There it was, it bright green lettering for all to see – CANCELED.

Sydney spent the time wondering if canceled was misspelled. She'd always spelled it with two L's. It looked so funny with just one. Hearing the moans and groans of those around her, understandably upset about their canceled flights and missed connections, made thankful for her quirky sense of humor. It was the only thing that kept her sane during the middle of a snowstorm.

A snowstorm in Chicago and she was stuck at O'Hare out of all places. She couldn't understand at the time she traveled why it was rated one of the worst airports but now she clearly understood. That meant she wasn't going to be leaving anytime soon, or even that day. Sydney once again praised the Lord for giving her some common sense; packing her new Nikes. They were about to get a good workout.

Something told her that she should've stayed an extra day in her hotel room and she wished she did. When Sydney called the hotel to book a room, it was booked to capacity. She just barely left and already, there weren't any rooms. In fact, there weren't any rooms in _any hotel. _

It meant she needed to find a comfortable spot and get cozy at the airport. It was going to be a long night.

* * *

><p><em>Of course it is.<em>

Dean stared up at the monitor and saw his flight back to L.A. was canceled. Not postponed. Not delayed. Canceled. He was officially snowed in and there was no telling when any flights were getting up off the ground. He let out a heavy sigh and looked around him. Many people have predicted the canceled flight and headed out to the nearest hotel to sleep. Others got comfortable on the floor and created their own camps.

Dean got on the phone with his agent. "I'm snowed in and stuck at the airport."

"I told you flying to Chicago during a snowstorm wasn't smart, playa." John Layfield replied over the phone. He was a tall and muscular, clean-shaven man and had a constant smug look on his face that screamed, 'Try me if you dare.' He was smug for a good reason – his firm alone was responsible for the hefty contracts many athletes signed, taking them from ghettos to Lambos almost instantly. He was also responsible for Dean's very hefty and unprecedented contract as well. "Don't worry, I got you covered. You have a room booked at the Omni for the next three days. Just head over to the hotel and check in. I already told your coach you wouldn't be back until the end of the week."

"Thanks, J." Dean sighed. "I owe you one."

"Just become the leading scorer again and we'll break even." John replied. "I'll call you later, kiddo."

Dean picked up his luggage and was grateful he only had the carry-on. He hailed a taxi and promptly went to the Omni.

He had to spend a few more days in Chicago. It wasn't ideal but it could be worse; he could've been stuck at the airport.

* * *

><p>Her dogs were barking. Screaming at her!<p>

Sydney barely made it to the Omni hotel after two unsuccessful attempts to get a room at other neighboring hotels. Just her luck, every single room was booked and she was going to try the Omni in a final effort. It was beyond her budget and she honestly didn't know how she would be able to afford a room but she would worry about that later. Maybe she could charm the front desk crew into giving her into a discount.

When she entered the lobby of the Omni, Sydney already knew what the answer was going to be. She saw families pick up their bags and turn away with thick smear of disgust on the parents' faces. She heard a few parents mutter something along the lines of _ridiculous_ and _too expensive_ and _airport floor is cheaper_.

She really didn't need to hear all of that.

"Hello Miss," the front desk attendant greeted Sydney, "how may I help you today?"

"I need a hotel room for the night," Sydney paused and looked behind her at the streaming sheet of white pouring down, "maybe a few days."

"Well, we have our suites left." The attendant mentioned. "How many nights would you like?"

"I guess three." Sydney mentioned. "How much would that be?"

"Just one moment," The attendant pressed a few buttons in the computer. "That'll be 1100 dollars."

Sydney hated the fact that she never cleaned her ears that well. She truly hated gunk in the middle of her ears and she figured that had to be reason she misheard the astronomical price tag. "Come again? I thought you said 1100 dollars."

"That's correct," The attendant nodded, "how do you want to pay?"

"Um, let me get back to you on that." Sydney gave a polite smile and picked up her luggage. Muttering a rapid-fire explosion of profanities under her breath, she walked into the middle of the lobby. She had very little money, every reasonable hotel was booked, and the only available hotel had a price she couldn't even fathom to afford.

"I guess I will get comfortable at the lovely O'Hare…"

She began to walk again and ran into a brick wall of a man, knocking her clear off her feet. Sydney felt lucky the Omni had nice polished floors that somehow softened the hard blow she felt on her ass.

"I'm sorry, Miss. Are you okay?" The man helped Sydney stand up.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She rubbed her behind and tried to gather her belongings. "My big butt softened the blow."

The man smiled. "It's not too big." He noticed Sydney's sharp stare at him and immediately noticed his mistake. "I meant it's pretty small for your size." Sydney's eyes grew sharper. "I meant…shit…hi, I'm Dean." He held out his hand.

"I'm Sydney." She shook his hand. "Thank you for the compliment?"

"I thought you were calling yourself fat and I was trying to tell you you're not and it just went downhill so whatever." He offered a smile. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Dean's smile was charming and Sydney noticed it matched the glitter in his eyes. "I'm fine. Thank you."

"If you're not busy, I would like to buy you a drink at the bar. That is, if you drink?" He offered. "Just another way of saying I'm sorry."

"Another way of saying you're sorry or you're making a move on me?" She asked.

"Both," He was honest. "You're pretty and I want to buy you a drink." He held out an arm. "Shall we?"

Sydney interlocked her arm with Dean. With the day she was having, a drink definitely wouldn't hurt. "We shall."


	4. Chapter 4

"Three weddings in one year?" Dean asked as Sydney nodded. "Wow. How are you still sane?"

Sydney shrugged as she sipped on her mojito. "I have no idea. I'm just a good friend, I guess."

"You're insane!" Dean laughed. "Why did you agree to go to all of them?"

"Like I've said, I'm a good friend." Sydney replied. "Plus, the maids of honor weren't anything to boast or brag about. I stepped in and that's it."

"Three times?"

"Three times." She pursed her lips. "Maybe I'm a little insane."

"Just a little," His eyes glittered and Sydney sheepishly smiled.

"So why are you stuck here?" She asked. "Visiting friends and family?"

"Family and a few friends." His eyes became sad and he let out a deep breath. "Um, funeral."

"I'm so sorry," Sydney replied. "I'm so sorry for your loss."

"It's okay," Dean replied. "He was a good man. The best man I ever knew."

Sydney felt weird prying into such a private and sensitive topic but she felt compelled to know. "Someone you personally knew?"

Dean took a gulp of beer and stared straight ahead. "My dad." He paused again. "He battled cancer for the past several years and we all knew this was going to be his final year so we made the most of it."

"I'm so sorry." She grabbed his arm and rubbed it. "I'm sorry if I intruded."

"Nah, nah." He brushed it off. "It's all over the media so it's not a secret."

"All over the media?" Sydney asked. "Was he famous?"

"No, no, he wasn't famous." Dean replied. He paused for a moment and looked over at Sydney. "I hate saying this line but do you know who I am?"

"Not a single clue," she shook her head. "Am I supposed to know?"

"No." He smiled. It was refreshing that Sydney wasn't a groupie or a golddigger. After several years in the league, it was easy to spot both groups. "I'm glad you don't."

"So now that you kinda told me who you are, what is it that you do?" She asked.

"I'm a hockey player." Dean replied. "I play for the Kings."

"Oh, that's cool."

"Do you follow hockey?"

"I was watching a fight once but a game kept getting in the way." She winked.

Dean noticed the sparkle in Sydney's brown eyes when she smiled. It seemingly made her more beautiful. "We do fight but it's good for both teams. A lot of aggression and pent-up frustration. We need to do something with it."

"You always have been a hockey player?" She inquired.

"It's all I know. I can't imagine doing anything else for the rest of my life." He shrugged. "So until I can't play anymore, this is it for life."

"That is so cool that you're passionate about something. That sounds a lot more fun than what I do for a living." She said. "I work in retail."

"That doesn't sound too bad. I like to go shopping." Dean said and Sydney shot him a disbelieving look. "Okay, _online_ shopping."

"That's what I thought." Sydney smiled. She then glanced at her cell phone and noticed she needed to get back to the airport. She needed to find a comfy spot before they were all taken. "Well, I need to go." She finished her drink. "I have a long night ahead of me."

"Where are you headed?" He asked.

"Back to the airport. I can't afford to stay here tonight so I'm going to camp out at the airport until I can leave." She stated.

"You know you could stay with me," he offered, "I have a suite I can share."

"That's so kind but I'm not in the business of spending the night with a complete stranger…" Sydney remembered her past dalliances. "…anymore."

"A reformed bad girl, I like that." He nodded and quickly darted his lips with his tongue. "But I'm not propositioning you. I have a two-bedroom suite all to myself and I would feel awful if you slept at the airport when you could be in a nice warm bed at a hotel."

"I wouldn't be able to pay you back, Dean." She replied.

"I don't expect you to. Besides, you don't know when your flight is going to leave. You might be stuck here for a couple of days. I don't want you to sleep on the airport floor and risk getting your space and your stuff stolen."

Sydney gently bit her lip. The offer was too good to be true and that was the problem with it. "I don't know, Dean. I'm not sure that's a good idea."

"I think you know it's a good idea." He countered back. "I'm just waiting for you to accept it."

Sydney slightly gasped. "And what makes you say that? That's pretty bold and presumptuous."

"Your hand?"

"What about my hand?"

Dean glanced down at his arm where Sydney's hand was. "It hasn't left my arm since you touched it."


	5. Chapter 5

"Well, here it is…" Dean said as they entered the suite and looked around. "Not bad."

Sydney was convinced she didn't see the same room Dean did. There were two bedrooms that were separated by the living room, which had plush sofas and a large flat-screen TV. In the corner was a wet bar with a granite countertop. Both rooms had their own queen-sized beds and TV, with a large window that offered a different view of Chicago. The balcony overlooked the Chicago skyline.

Sydney could honestly say that suite was much better than her apartment and that was a sad admittance. "Not bad?"

"It's pretty nice," Dean smiled. He walked over to the sofa and plopped down on it. He stretched his legs out and turned on the TV. "You can go ahead and pick which room you want and I'll get the other one."

"That's too kind but I don't want to take advantage of it," she replied, "I mean, you're paying for this so you should have first dibs."

"Ladies first." His eyes smiled at her. "Besides, I saw the luggage you have. You need the bigger room."

"I don't have that much…" Sydney looked behind her and saw the two heavy suitcases behind her. One bag had street clothes; the other was full of wedding-related stuff that she had half a mind to hold onto, in case she had a surprise wedding number four to attend. "…Okay, so I have a bit of luggage."

"A bit of luggage." Dean repeated, enunciating every word. "That's like being a little pregnant."

"Shut up!" Sydney laughed and headed to her room. She moved her luggage to the corner and fell on top of the queen-sized bed. She barely kicked off one of her Nikes and stretched out.

What were the odds? Her meeting some famous – yet unknown to her – hockey player and he invites her to share his suite with her. Dangerous? Sure. Stupid? Not the dumbest thing she's done.

Still, she didn't feel like she was in danger being around Dean. But for safekeeping, she was going to lock her door when she slept. Okay, she was also going to put a blockade against it. In fact, she should probably sleep with something underneath her pillow just in case.

The last thought convinced Sydney that she should probably stop watching so many Lifetime movies.

"Yep, I'm settled in. Got here about an hour or so ago, so I'm fine." Dean spoke over the phone.

"You know you could've came back home. We're not that far away from the airport." Melissa offered.

"I don't want you driving out in that weather. Besides, you weren't going to get too far with the way it's coming down." He briefly looked out the window and saw a thick blanket of white. "I'm fine and safe here. It's a really nice room and I like it."

"Okay." Melissa decided not to argue with her son. Even if he wasn't right, he would argue his point until he was exhausted, causing her to be just as exhausted as well. "I hope your company treats you well."

"The Kings treat me great, Mom."

"Dean…" Melissa sternly warned. "…I'm not stupid."

He chuckled and briefly put the phone against his forehead. He was convinced his mother was a psychic when he was younger. "I didn't pay for her if that's what you're asking."

"Just make sure all of your stuff is locked up and not stolen." She suggested. "And for Pete's sake, do not tell her what you do for a living!"

"Eh, I already did." Dean thought about Sydney's reaction when he revealed his occupation. The question in her eyes was something he hadn't seen in a long time. She truly didn't know who the heck he was. It was refreshing. "She didn't care."

"They always say they don't care before they hear how much your contract is." Melissa pointed out.

"Well, I'm not trying to marry her so I'm not worried about that."

"I wasn't referring to you marrying her, Dean." She replied. "Do I need to spell it out?"

"I'm not talking about _that_, neither!" He hastily said. The last thing Dean wanted to do was talk about his sex life with his mother.

"I'm just saying…childbirth costs around ten thousand, condoms only cost three bucks."

"Okay, Mom, I need to go. Yeah, I need to go. I'll talk to you later. Love you. Bye." He hung up on his mother and shuddered. If he had any libido, his mother effectively killed all of it. He decided to channel his energy to food, since he was getting hungry. "Syd, I'm going to order food service. Tell me what you want." He yelled out. He was met with silence. "Syd?"

He walked over to her room and found her passed out on top of the bed. She was so tired, she only managed to get one of her shoes off before she gave up on the other one. He took out a blanket and covered her body, softly kissing her forehead before he left the room, closing the door behind him

He ordered room service for them both and when it arrived, Dean put Sydney's meal aside for her. As he ate, it was then he realized despite the fame, fortune, and groupies, he was truly alone. It was a sobering thought.


	6. Chapter 6

"So let me get this straight…you meet a man who's a professional hockey player, he invites you to share his suite with him, and he doesn't make a single move on you at all?" Sydney's friend, Jane, replied over the phone. "Yeah, that's believable."

"I know it sounds crazy but it's true," Sydney said between bites of cheeseburger, "he hasn't made a move on me at all."

"You have your Mace right? Make sure you drink your own water and your own alcohol!"

Sydney shook her head. She knew her best friend was just trying to look out for her and she couldn't even be mad at her. She would probably give the same advice to one of her friends if they were doing the same thing. "Believe me, I have taken the proper precautions. No one is going to take advantage of anyone here."

"Good." Jane sat back on the couch and stretched her legs. "So tell me about your boo thang? Is he cute?"

Cute? Cute? Puppies were cute. Babies were cute. Dean was fucking incredible. "He's not bad looking." Sydney replied.

"Does he have all of his teeth?"

Dean had one of the most beautiful and charming smiles Sydney had ever seen. "I believe so."

"His eyes are okay? You know those hockey players have funky eyes from being on the ice so long."

Dean's eyes sparkled whenever he talked, like he was truly passionate about life. "I think so."

"What did you say his name was?" Jane asked again.

"Dean Ambrose," Sydney shrugged. "I guess it's spelled the way it's pronounced."

"I'll have Mike do some research on him and I'll call you back as soon as I know something." Jane wondered aloud. "I wonder if he's been on TMZ lately."

Sydney shook her head. Jane was the gossip columnist amongst her friends. If it wasn't for the fact she went into medical research, Jane had a lifelong calling in reporting the latest celebrity news. It seemed she knew everything about everyone, even people Sydney didn't know who the hell they were. "Please spare me the details." Sydney looked up and saw a grinning Dean stare back at her. He was wearing a white tank top and blue jeans that perfectly held onto his sculpted figure. Sydney almost choked on a French fry. "Jane, listen. I need to go. I'll talk to you later." She quickly hung up.

"Is everything okay?" Dean asked. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"No, no, no, no, no. Everything's fine!" She quickly gulped some soda and wiped her mouth. "I was just checking in with a friend. She couldn't believe what happened to me so expect my phone to go over a few more times tonight to make sure I'm okay."

"Understandable," Dean nodded, "she's a good friend."

"Meh. She has her moments."

"Was she one of the three this year?"

"Yep." Sydney nodded. "She's actually a pretty nice person when she's not planning a wedding."

"Ouch." Dean took a seat at the dining table, across from Sydney. "And you're still friends with her?"

"I told you I was insane."

Dean slightly nodded to Sydney. "How's your burger? I didn't know what to order for you so I just went with a staple."

"It's really, really good." She wiped her mouth. "Did you eat anything?"

"I ate earlier so I'm good." He yawned. "I just woke up from a nap myself."

"How long was I passed out for?"

"You were asleep for a while. I closed the door so I wouldn't disturb you." That was a half-truth. He closed the door so he would stop staring at her. She looked like an angel when she slept. Her long brown hair laid softly across the pillow and Dean had to stop himself from reaching and touching it.

"I guess wedding stuff finally caught up with me." She briefly thought about Jane's wedding. It was a non-stop affair from the time she arrived in Chicago to when she finally made it back to her hotel room. She probably slept for a total 16 hours within four days.

"Well, make sure you get your rest. I'll leave you alone so you can sleep."

"No, I'm awake now." She shrugged. "I'll probably be up for a while."

"Awesome," Dean leaned in, "what would you like to do?"

_Missionary, first. Then I'll be on top._ "What about a movie?" Sydney smiled.


	7. Chapter 7

"Good Morning, sleepyhead." Dean greeted Sydney as she emerged from her bedroom. "How did you sleep?"

Sexually frustrated was the answer Sydney wanted to give. After going back and forth on what movie to watch for a better part of 30 minutes, they finally settled on a comedy. They sat far from each other on the couch, probably out of respect for her, Sydney assumed.

That was the frustrating part. She knew Dean was on his best behavior and she appreciated that he went out of his way to make sure she didn't feel uncomfortable. But it would've been nice if he made a slight move on her. Maybe he could accidentally reach over and cop a feel? Hmm, probably not. Maybe he could mention how beautiful her full lips were and how he wished he could feel them? Hmm…that sounded aggressive and possibly scary.

No, Dean was the perfect gentleman. He was on his p's and q's the entire night and did nothing to suggest he was remotely interested in Sydney. Maybe that was the real reason. She wasn't his type, whatever his type was.

Was it possible to hate a guy for being so damn nice and respectful? "I slept pretty well. Thanks for asking." She smiled. "How did you sleep?"

It was a loaded question. Dean spent most of his night thinking of the different positions Sydney would be in and briefly wondered how flexible her body was. No, no, no! She was a sweet girl and not a groupie. She didn't know who he was and he was sure if she found out how much money he was really worth, he would've seen the ubiquitous dollar signs flashing in her brown eyes.

So he did what any respectful and decent man would do in his position – he masturbated a lot. Maybe too much for his liking, if there was such a thing. He needed to keep his hands to himself and any sexual remarks silent. Who knew how long they were going to be snowed in and the last thing Dean needed was a bogus rape claim from some chick because he merely complimented her tight sweater.

Except Sydney wasn't some chick.

He fell in like – not _in love _– with the whole package: her smarts, her dancing smile, and her self-depreciating humor. She knew how to have a good time. She was open and honest about everything, and it didn't seem to hold back on how she really felt. He wanted to get to know her – her background, why she ended up in retail, what she wanted out of life, and what was her true passion.

It wasn't insta-love and Dean didn't think if he actually believed in that notion. Sure, it worked for other people and it was the sole reason why romantic comedies were so popular but it never worked for him. He didn't expect them to become a couple – at least not yet – but he wouldn't mind having a friend he could call on and talk to every so often.

Though Dean could admit, he didn't like how _friend_ sounded when he thought about Sydney. "I slept pretty good." He replied. "Did you want me to call for room service?"

"I can help pay for it," Sydney offered, "I know how expensive room service can be."

Dean shook his head. "Don't worry about it. Your money is no good with me."

Sydney knew Dean was a modern-day Prince Charming. Most her dates required she went dutch. She should've known then they were cheap asses. "You're too kind," she smiled.

It was almost as if the room lit up with her smile alone. Dean was convinced her smile could compete with the brightest stars. "It's no thing."

Sydney perused over the menu. She was so used to the bland oatmeal she ate every morning for breakfast, she was feeling overwhelmed by the extravagant breakfast options. Some of the food had words she couldn't even pronounce even if she sounded them out. "So what did you want to do today?"

Dean walked over to the window and looked out. The city was completely covered in white and it probably wasn't a stretch of his imagination to figure out the airport was completely snowed in. There was only one thing he wanted to do with Sydney that didn't involve sweaty and sticky sexual positions.

"Let's make a snowman."

Sydney knew she was not meant for frigid cold weather. There was a reason why she lived in San Francisco and gladly stayed there. Sure, San Francisco got pretty chilly at times; she could recall a time when it dropped down to 23 degrees. But that was still above zero.

In Chicago, she was pretty sure it was some insane degree below zero and she didn't dare to think how far below it was. Just feeling her teeth clack inside her mouth told her plenty about the weather.

Now there she was, looking like a California snow bunny with as much snow gear anyone could possibly put on, watching Dean built a makeshift snowman in between snow-covered cars. "You're actually building a family?" She commented.

"Hell, yeah!" Dean smiled as he put the finishing touches on the bigger snowman. It was a family of four and he was thankful he was able to convince the hotel kitchen to give him the spoiled carrots and olives he needed for the eyes and nose. Next time he would ask for tomatoes to complete the mouth. He stepped aside and nodded at his creation. "What do you think?"

Sydney shook her head. She watched with awe and a bit of amusement how serious Dean was about his snow family. They weren't big but that was beside the point. He took care into building them as if he was creating a masterpiece. It was charming. "You're insane. That's incredible."

"You should try." He glanced over to her. "Just gotta create a couple of snowballs and stack them on top of each other. "

"I never made snowballs before." She shrugged.

"What?" Dean had a disgusted face as if he tasted some horrible food. "What do you mean?"

"I just never had the opportunity." She shrugged again, wondering why what she said was so shocking. "I can't miss something if I never did it."

"All right, we're changing that today." He walked over to her and picked up a small pile of snow. He nodded to her to do the same and Sydney complied. "Just watch me. You move your hands like so as if you're molding dough."

Sydney watched Dean make a snowball and followed his lead. When he placed his snowball on the ground, she placed hers on top of his. "Like so?"

"Yeah, like so!" He smiled. "You're a natural already!"

"Not bad for a roo –whoa!" Sydney slipped on some snow and lost her footing before Dean caught her.

Dean looked down at Sydney. Her cheeks were flushed with a deep pink color, though he couldn't tell if it was the weather or her makeup doing that. He did know, however, she looked like a snow goddess to him. "Are you okay?"

Dean felt so wonderful and comforting. His strong arms cradled her body and she quickly got used to how amazing he felt. His eyes glittered in the sunlight and he looked amazingly hot. While she loved, highly admired, and respected the fact he was being a perfect gentleman, Sydney was getting a little tired of the gesture. "I'm good. Thanks."


	8. Chapter 8

"Your nickname is what…?"

Dean shook his head and rolled his eyes over dinner with Sydney. After an extraordinary day of building more snowmen and participating in a snowball fight with a group of kids, the pair retreated back to their suite and watched movies for the rest of the afternoon. Needing a break from their suite, Dean took Sydney out to dinner at the hotel restaurant and scored a private booth.

They spent the better part of the evening really getting to know each other. He found out she's open to most types of music and was a not-so closeted fan of Taylor Swift. She discovered he liked to paint, though he admitted he wasn't "that good at it."

When she asked him about hockey, Dean went into great detail to describe hockey terminology to her, though he could tell some things went over her head. It was pretty clear, however, his nickname was clearly understood. "The Lunatic," he repeated, "that's what they call me."

"Now are you a fun crazy like a Will Ferrell movie? Or are you a sitting-in-the-corner-watching-me-sleep-while-you-eat-a-banana type of crazy?" She smiled.

"You're nuts." Dean chuckled.

"I'm just saying…"

"I wouldn't eat a banana."

Sydney briefly paused and caught the twinkle in Dean's eyes. "I saw what you did there."

"You like that?" He asked.

"I like that," she nodded.

"Hockey is fun but it's brutal. Either you kill or you get killed. I'm friends with a lot of the guys off the ice but on it, it's anyone's game. I'm going to let my boy score just because we had a barbeque the other day. Hell, no!" Dean scoffed. "I will buy him a beer after the fact, though."

"Awww…" Sydney grinned. "That's so sweet."

"Shut it." Dean laughed and Sydney joined him. "So Ms. Sydney…"

"Yes, Mr. Dean?"

"You're beautiful, funny, and incredibly sexy." He leaned back into his chair. "I have to ask you why you're single?"

Sydney took a sip of wine and let the fruity liquid roll around her tongue before she swallowed. It was a good question that she didn't quite have the answer to. She didn't quite believe in the old adage of choice or circumstance but her bad luck (or was it simply bad taste?) in men made her wonder if she was the real lunatic. "I'm a good girl who wants the bad boy and somewhere in there, I realize the bad boy is an asshole so I get left alone."

"Why do good girls want bad boys?" He asked. "I never understood that. There are plenty of good guys out there."

"And those good guys live in their mama's basement playing Dungeons and Dragons while drinking their third Mountain Dew." She chuckled. "Bad boys are exciting and a little dangerous, living on the edge. Good girls keep their noses clean for the most part so we like that danger, that ummph."

"That ummph?"

"That ummph."

Dean leaned forward and Sydney noticed the sparkle in his eyes. "Do you think you would be able to handle my ummph?"

Sydney's heart slammed against her chest and for a brief second, she had to remember to breathe. She swallowed hard and let out a sigh. "Say what?"

"You said you like that danger, you want that _ummph_…I'm giving you an opportunity. Can you handle mine?"

Sydney found the courage and met Dean's challenge. "If you're suggesting a one-night stand, that ship done sailed a long time ago, partner." She purred.

Dean reached over and touched fingers with Sydney. She immediately felt a heat surge through her body and it pooled between her thighs. Once again, she had to focus on breathing. "Who said anything about a one-night stand?"

"You're seriously suggesting a long-distance relationship?" She asked. "Yeah, I can see why you're called The Lunatic."

"I'm suggesting I want to see where this goes, starting with tonight." He pressed. "It could be nothing or it could everything."

Sydney bit back a moan. She did not like the feelings Dean created within her. He looked like a dude that had a big-ass neon TROUBLE sign over his head. She knew his type; she'd been with his type. The type of guy who would fuck the shit out of a girl and leave her head spinning, wondering exactly when did cuddling become sexing as they watched a movie.

Dean was a nice guy and perfect gentleman, which she loved. But now he showed her his deviant side, which she had no idea how much she craved until that moment.

"What's going on in that beautiful head of yours?" He asked.

"I'm just thinking," she slightly shrugged.

"If it's that whole respect thing in the morning, I'll assure you I will." He promised.

"No, it's not that." She replied.

"What is it?"

"I'm just wondering if I'll respect _you _in the morning," her lips turned up into a sensual curl, "because I'm about to make you sing like a canary."

_I think I might have to change the rating on this. -V. _


	9. Chapter 9

It felt like he was on set of a porno titled, 'Dean Gets Lucky.'

It sounded cheesy and he could admit he watched more than his fair share of cheesy porn. But who really watches porn for the wonderful acting and thoughtful dialogue?

When Sydney surprised him with her bold request, Dean was taken aback. Make him sing like a canary? He wanted to laugh. How many women had promised him the best blow job of his life only to see his cock and wonder exactly how many licks would it take to get to the tootsie roll?

Sydney was different.

She had a sexual aura – though she tried to quiet it – that simmered through her being. Her words, her attitude, her intellect. Even how throaty and slightly raspy her voice was – a combination of a breathy Marilyn Monroe and a woman who had age and experience on her side – turned him on. It turned him on the first night he met her. Willpower and overall respect for women is what held him back. Plus, it was a nice change of pace in getting to know someone instead trying to figure out her fellatio technique over dinner.

"I'm going to jump in the shower," she said as they entered the suite.

"Okay," Dean nodded and removed his jacket.

Sydney turned back to him. "Come with me," she offered.

Dean raised an eyebrow. Normally, he would be the one to offer a mutual shower to a conquest; now Sydney was doing it to him. He was impressed. He pulled his shirt over his head and began to unbuckle his belt. "Gladly."

Sydney walked into the shower and stripped in front of Dean. He leaned against the bathroom door as he watched her put on a show. Little by little, each piece of clothing landed on the floor. First went the too-tight sweater that barely contained her ample breasts. Second went the jeans that hugged her ass so deliciously.

She began to remove her bra and panties when he stopped her. "Allow me," he replied in a husky voice that dripped with sexual heat.

Sydney felt her pulse quickened as Dean stood behind her. His fingers were a little calloused from the hockey play but surprisingly smooth to the touch. She could faintly smelled the whiskey on his breath as he leaned closer to her, pressing her lithe body against his.

Damn he felt wonderful. He smelled incredible. She felt a slight quiver between her moistened folds and briefly closed her eyes as it reverberated throughout her body.

"I want you to look at me."

His demand forced her eyes open and Sydney locked them with Dean. She watched as he slowly removed her bra and cupped her breasts. A hastened sigh escaped her mouth as she anticipated his touch. His hands slowly moved down her torso and he pulled the lacy fabric down her legs.

When he stood back up, his mouth rested against her neck. His eyes never moved from hers. "You're fucking incredible," his voice came out hard and husky. "Absolutely fucking incredible."

Sydney felt like a goddess and behind her was her king. She didn't know if he said that to other woman and at the moment, she didn't really care. All she knew that it was just them in an unknown world outside and heated desire inside a small room.

She knew the heat she had for Dean went beyond just knowing him for a few days. She wanted to feel she belonged to someone and that someone desired her. She was no longer going to fight any feelings, and just succumb to the pleasure, and possibly love. Maybe, just maybe, Dean could give her exactly what she needed.

He pressed his lips against her neck and Sydney moaned in pleasure. The velvety roughness of his lips combined with the heated flesh of hers was almost too much to bear. She closed her eyes and her head fell back against his chest, relishing his hands exploring her nude body, inch by inch.

The light stubble of his cheek grazed her neck as he gently kissed and suckled on it. A hand traveled down to her sex and Sydney willingly accommodated his request. His fingers were gentle yet skillful, finding her core over and over, tickling the swollen bud that peeked through, and making her ride his fingers. He kept his mouth pressed against her neck and the other hand steady around her waist as he watched her reaction through the mirror. Her nipples were hardened, her flesh was hot, and planted expression of ecstasy was etched across her face.

He got her where he wanted her.

When she climaxed, her body stilled and a soft moan escaped her lips. She briefly opened her eyes and a soft glazed took over. Her mind was in a stormy cloud of emotions and Sydney almost forgot where she was.

"Now that we've warmed up," Dean removed his jeans and underwear, "it's time for the show."


	10. Chapter 10

_There's more? _

Sydney didn't know if she was excited or quite frankly, scared. Show? What show was he expecting? What show was she supposed to put on? Wasn't it _her _talking shit over dinner, promising to make him sing like a canary?

Now he had her head spinning, giving her a quick and body-rippling orgasm in seemingly record time. And he promised her _more. _

_Shit. _

She stepped into the shower and enveloped herself under the stream of running water. She soon felt his hands around her body and she turned around to greet him. His eyes sparkled and there was a proud smile on his face.

"Hey there," he winked.

"Hey." She smiled back.

His mouth claimed hers and Sydney was taken to a new level of arousal. Their lips repeatedly met each other's, almost in a frenzied desire, as if it would be their only chance. They both knew it wasn't true but neither wanted to take that chance. Their love, once it matured and available for them both to accept, wasn't worth the risk.

Sydney relished in the velvety roughness of Dean's tongue against hers and opened her mouth more to accommodate. He was full of experience but there was something else. He was surprisingly gentle yet assertive, as if he was softly demanding her to do whatever he wanted.

She wouldn't put up a fight.

A small shudder coursed through Sydney's body as Dean's hands once again wandered all over hers. His touch was meticulous and gentle, wanting to feel every bit of curve and heat within her body. Her sex became flushed with arousal and for a brief time, she forgot where they were. It no longer mattered.

She felt him pressed against her and she softly played with him. So thick, so long, so…wonderful. He grew more into her hand the longer she played, feeling the mushroom tip, and the width of his shaft, all the while wondering how much he would hurt her.

"I'm pretty clean," he finally pulled away long enough to speak. He placed his forehead against hers and breathed hard. "Are you?"

All they did was simply get wet but that was good enough for both of them. "I think so."

They dried off and Dean led Sydney back to his bedroom. She laid down on the bed as he rummaged through his luggage, trying to find a condom. Sydney watched the view of his perfectly-shaped ass and wondered how often was she going to see that magnificent sight.

Within seconds, Dean found the condoms and climbed into bed with her. "Hey."

"Hey." Sydney smiled. "What's up?"

Dean laughed. "You're awesome, you know that?"

"I try." She grinned.

"Soooo…" Dean wasn't sure about how to approach her. He never had a conversation about sexual style before said act. Then again, he never cared about someone this much so both feelings were new and quite foreign to him. "…do you like slow? Do you want hard and fast? I just don't want to hurt you."

Sydney nudged Dean on his back and straddled him. "You talk too much." She leaned down and kissed him again, before sliding her body down his, planting small kisses along his. She discovered a sweet spot of Dean – along his hip dents – and found he was ticklish.

"I forgot I was ticklish there," he murmured.

"I'm sure you're going to remember a lot of things tonight," Sydney replied.

She stopped at his shaft and took a long lick of it with her tongue, outlining every inch of it. She inhaled his scent, swallowed his taste, and wanted more. She was amazed how hardened he became as if his mind was on overdrive and full arousal.

She licked the underside before she took him fully in her inviting mouth. She sucked him long and slow, relishing in his taste and scent. One hand cupped him while the other began a twisting motion as she sucked harder.

Then it happened. His body stilled and a soft high-pitched sound came out of his mouth. Sydney merely smiled as she continued. She promised Dean he would sing like a canary.

She abruptly stopped and rolled the condom on him. She adjusted her position and sank down on him, her eyes widening as he completely filled her. She let out a few quick breaths before she softly rocked against him, his hands guiding her hips before they cupped her breasts.

Breathless. It would be the word Sydney would describe later to her girlfriends about the first thrust, the first kiss, and the first time she knew she was in love with him. There was intensity about Dean that she never knew she needed until he came along. He was the best friend who laughed at her. He was the protector who shielded her. He was lover, who made her discover things about her body that surprised her.

She moved at a steady pace, slowly increasing her tempo. Harsh, short breaths were forced out her mouth. Her heart felt like it was about to burst and a calming warmth washed over her body. It was no longer him or her, but _them._ They were one with each other and in the universe. She knew the difference between love and sex, but this was a combination she'd never experienced.

Was she in love?

Each time she rocked against him, the deeper the emotions were. Maybe they could make a long distance relationship work? Maybe she could be a NHL girlfriend? Maybe, just maybe. She didn't know Dean other than the very basic and maybe a few antidotes about his childhood and career. How could she be in love with someone she barely knew?

All Sydney knew was that, somehow, she was.

Dean suddenly pulled her down and their lips fused together once again. He thrust harder into her, wrapping his arms around her. He didn't want to let her go, not then and not ever. There was a connection he felt with Sydney that he hadn't experienced with any other woman, and he didn't want to seek further.

Sydney rocked against him a little while longer, then her body stilled. A soft moan released from her mouth and her body slightly shuddered as she whimpered his name. Dean soon followed with his own release before he rolled her off and snuggled against her.

As Sydney fell asleep in his arms, Dean stared up at the ceiling. The weather forecast predicted the snowstorm was going to clear up overnight. All flights would be on time and Sydney would go back to San Francisco while he returned to Los Angeles. With her career in retail, there was no telling when she would be available to see him again. He didn't expect her to give up her career just to be with him since they barely were a couple, _if _he could call them that.

He was already dreading the morning.


	11. Chapter 11

"Are you even here right now?"

Sydney eyeballed her coworker's question and calmly sipped a too-hot cup of cappuccino. "Sorta."

"Was the wedding that bad?" Sarah asked. "It couldn't have been that horrible!"

"It was actually a pretty nice wedding." Sydney nodded.

"I bet being stuck in Chicago really sucked, though! At least you were able to get a nice hotel room!"

A flurry of images ran across Sydney's mind. Bumping into him. Making snowballs with him. Canoodling with him. Looking into his eyes as she climbed on top of him. She shook her head to relieve the thoughts. "Yeah, I was."

"Well, at least you're back in California! I bet Chicago must've been horrible with that weather!"

It had been one very long-ass week.

The morning after wasn't so bad. Despite making love all night the night before, they had one more tryst before showering and breakfast. They rode to the airport together and were lucky they were in the same gate area where they waited with each other. It was her plane that was the first to leave and when it was time to board, Sydney and Dean held each other for a long time.

She tried to hold back the tears from falling but it was no use. They freely fell as she listened to him whisper to her. "I know it hurts," he petted her hair, "but it's only temporary. I'll be back for you."

"You're not just saying that, are you?" She asked between sniffles.

Dean pulled back and thumbed away Sydney's tears. "Why would I lie to the woman I want to be with?"

The memory slowly faded to the background and Sydney found her eyes tearing up. Dean called her later that night to make sure she'd arrived safely and they've texted on a daily basis since then, with a few phone calls in between. It still didn't replace the warmth she'd missed of feeling his body pressed against hers.

In short, long distance relationships sucked ass. "It wasn't that bad." Sydney smiled.

"I'm glad you're back. We've been so swamped lately with everything. It seems everyone is shopping this year, which is great for us!" Sarah smiled. "Do you have any plans for the holidays?"

_"__I'm going to fly you down for a Kings game. Tell your boss to fuck off, you're going to see your man play hockey."_ Sydney recalled Dean's declaration to her. It was the first time he actually said he was her boyfriend in not so many words. She didn't want to read too much into it because of the distance, though she secretly began to practice saying Sydney Ambrose. She loved how it sounded, despite how she felt like a teenage girl who just discovered she liked boys.

"No plans yet," Sydney shook her head. "Well, I mean…I might go to L.A. and see a friend."

"A friend or …" Sarah rubbed shoulders with Sydney. "…_a friend_?"

"A friend," Sydney repeated, though she knew that wasn't the truth. She liked Sarah and trusted her but some of the other coworkers would sell her out to the highest bidder. "I just need to figure out when."

"Well, we should be slow around Christmas Eve and of course, everyone is closed on Christmas. Will two days be enough?"

Sydney had a feeling time with Dean would never be enough with him. More time to hold him. More time to laugh with him. More time to make love to him. "I'll see."

Sarah dropped her cheerful act for a short moment and became serious. "What's really going on, Syd? You seem kinda out of it since you came back. Are you sure everything is okay?"

"I don't know what I want to be when I grow up." Sydney finally revealed. "I don't think I'm cut out for retail for the rest of my life."

"Well," Sarah leaned on the counter, "what do you want to do?"

_Be a hockey wife?_ "I'm not sure," she replied, "I just don't think I'm going to be here much longer. But I need a game plan."

"What are you passionate about? What gets you going?"

"That's the thing! I don't know. Everyone knows what they're passionate about and I don't. I guess I'm just boring that way."

"That's not true! Everyone has a passion about _something_. You just need to figure yours out." Sarah insisted before she left. "You'll figure it out!"

Sydney finished her cappuccino. Sarah was right. Dean was passionate about hockey. Sarah was passionate about sales. And then there was Sydney was who was passionate about…what? Couponing? Gossip message boards? Trashy reality shows? So many superficial things and none of which made her get out of bed on a daily basis.

She threw away her cup when she received a text from Dean. _How's my girl doing?_ Sydney quickly replied back and smiled. It seemed no matter whatever mood she was in, Dean always cheered her up. He had a sneaky way of doing that.

_I'm trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up._

Dean smiled at Sydney's reply and texted her back. _Have you figured it out? _

_Not yet. Still working on it. _

_Come to L.A. and I'll help you figure it out. _

_I bet you will. _

_What? What's that supposed to mean? I'll be a good little choir boy and I won't touch you at all. _

_And you know that's the problem, right? _

_You can spank me if I misbehave._

_Boy, don't you threaten me with a good time…_

"All right, man," Dean's teammate, Seth Rollins, nudged him. He was a tall bearded man, with not a single ounce of body fat on him. He was easily recognizable with his half-blond/half-dark hair, which led to Dean nicknaming him, Two-Tone. "Put that damn phone away! You've been staring at it for most of the night, anyway."

"I had to take care some important business, man." Dean shoved his phone in his jacket. "Now that it's done, I'm here."

"Is she pregnant?" Another teammate, Jack Swagger, chimed in. A mammoth at over six feet tall and built like a linebacker, Jack had the charm and suave of a thousand men; hence his last name.

"What? No!" Dean replied, though he did wonder what a baby comprised of him and Sydney looked like. He hoped to heaven the baby would have the mother's looks and definitely her teeth. "Can we talk about something else?"

"Sure, we can talk about something else," Randy Orton took a swig of beer. Menacing with two full sleeves and eyes that dared his opponents to try him, Randy quickly got the nickname 'The Viper' for his ruthless hockey play. "Let's talk about how Dean is a pussy-whipped bitch."

"Pussy-whipped? I'm pussy-whipped?"

"Meow." Seth added.

Dean went around the table and pointed to his friends. "Married, girlfriend, and you…you…." He pointed towards Randy.

"Me? What about me?"

"You're entertaining the biggest thot of the year," Dean said to laughter around the table, "and I'm pussy-whipped?"

"Staring at your phone….the moment you hear from her, your face lights up…" Randy shrugged and took a swig of beer. "…I know the lovey-dovey signs."

"Next thing you're going to be sending her flowers." Jack added.

"And them cheap shits, neither." Seth shook his head and his teammates agreed. "You better be chipping in some money for a few dozen."

"Meeting the parents?" Jack added. "Yeah, that's always fun."

"Buy liquor and cigars for the dad and roses for the mom." Randy advised. "That's too easy."

"And you better remember every single birthday, holiday, and first moments or you will never hear the end of it." Seth stated.

"That's why I'm single." Randy nodded.

"Does your girl know this?" Seth asked and Randy shrugged.

"So when are you going to bring her around?" Jack asked. "Seems like you like her."

"Well after the three of you scared the hell out of me, I don't know if that shit's gonna happen," Dean chuckled. "But in all seriousness, I don't know. We're still trying to coordinate something and I just don't know the what, when, and where of it."

"I hope she's special," Seth replied. "I haven't seen you like this in a minute."

Dean sipped his beer. He was acting like a lovesick schoolboy, though he kept his focus on the ice when he was at practice and during game time. But after each practice and every game, his second phone call was to Sydney. His first was always to his mother, just to make sure he could still talk with all of his teeth.

He told Sydney he was going to fly her down during Christmas so she could watch him play in person. Christmas wasn't that far away and Dean was becoming increasingly anxious about her arrival, despite not having any plans set in stone.

Now he knew why he never fell in love; he truly hated not having any control of his emotions.


	12. Chapter 12

She felt like throwing up.

Her stomach was in knots and kept getting increasingly tighter with each passing moment, as if someone was squeezing the life out of her by some messed-up torture experiment they do to POWs at war camps. Every breath she took, hoping to calm the rapid beat of her heart down, only made it worse.

Sydney was about to see her man. And she was going to break up with him.

It had been almost a month and a long one. Video chatting, text messaging, and several creative Skype-sex sessions could only do so much before the feelings of warmth and angst reared their ugly heads.

Now there she was, walking down the seemingly long corridor from the plane to boarding area. Her nausea simply increased with each step.

The plane ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles was short and relatively uneventful. She could only get a small handful of days off and rather be the good daughter who spent every holiday with her family, while they politely (was it really?) remarked why she was still the single one of out her friends, she took Dean on his offer and flew down to L.A. He wanted to fly her first class but she wouldn't have it, shocking them both at the request. He did, however, buy her a business class ticket and well, it was too late to argue.

In less than five minutes, she was going to see him.

She swallowed the big lump in her throat and let out another deep breath as she breezily walked through the airport and to baggage claim. Sydney knew how important the trip was on many levels. One, it was testing the waters of how realistic they were being on a long-distance relationship. Two, it was seeing if what happened in Chicago actually stayed there or if they both were just in denial.

Most importantly, Sydney was scoping out her future in L.A. That is, if there was one.

She wasn't about to start picking out china patterns and going to the home improvement store to swipe color swatches for her potential bridesmaids dresses quite yet. She had visited L.A. before but only in passing, with her girlfriends in tow, and mainly to see the infamous Sunset Strip and the wild cast of characters that occupy the City of Angels.

She was now Dean's guest to his home.

She suggested a hotel and Dean shot that idea down before she had a chance to lay out her case. He mentioned he lived in a beach town, along with several other of his teammates, and she was going to stay there to get to know the city. _You'll like it_, she recalled his words to her, _I wouldn't want you to stay here if there was going to be a problem._

Sydney briefly closed her eyes as the memory reverberated through her body, filling her with warmth and security. It was okay. It was going to be okay. They were going to have some fun. He was going to show her around his favorite spots. They were going to make love like it was about to go out of style. Finally, they were going to have a heartfelt, serious talk about their future plans with themselves and each other.

And maybe, just maybe, she was going to tell him that a long-distance relationship was not in the cards and they needed to go their separate ways and that they should…

"You look so sexy while you're in deep thought."

Sydney opened her eyes and saw a smiling Dean, holding one of the biggest teddy bears she'd seen in her life. "My friend here and I were just chatting about this really beautiful girl who was walking and all of a sudden closed her eyes. I thought you had an undiagnosed case of narcolepsy but my friend here said, 'Nah, nah, bro…she's thinking of something. Give her a few moments.' So I listened." Dean walked closer to Sydney and cupped her face with a hand. "But then I got impatient."

Sydney smiled before he planted a long kiss on her, crushing his lips against hers and sweeping his tongue inside. He pulled her body close to her and grabbed her ass, claiming her as she moaned in his mouth.

Heaven.

Her heart fluttered with desire while the tingling sensation between her thighs thumped with _want_. When he finally pulled away, his eyes twinkled at hers, knowing what he just did and what they were going to do soon.

He simply smiled. "How was your flight, baby?"

She really wanted to tell him that she was too caught in thinking about their future and how the fantasy of 2.5 kids and a white picket fence was slowly fading away. She wanted to tell him that they both weren't being realistic about their relationship and that Christmas would be the last time they should see each other. She wanted to tell him that despite the wild and passionate sex, the heart fluttering whenever she received a text from him, and the longing to be with him and be a dynamic duo that defied the odds, reality told her that they just wouldn't work. She didn't want to move to L.A. and _just _be a hockey girlfriend who will eventually become a wife but she didn't know what she wanted.

She was going to tell him all of that and she'd rehearsed it over and over during the plane ride. Then when Sydney saw Dean, the plan went to hell. All she wanted and craved was his touch, his love, and his embrace. She wanted to feel him on top of her, beneath her, and behind her. She couldn't wait for him to mount her as she spread wide to accommodate him and his size. She really looked forward to the aftermath, when he just held her and their hearts beat as one.

On second thought, breaking up with Dean could wait. "It was a good flight," she smiled.

"Mmm…I know that smile," he purred in her ear, "that smile means you're not being completely honest with me. Do you want to tell me what's really on your mind?"

Sydney grinned. She hated how well he could read her. It was like if he had a past life being a psychic and was reborn as maniac hockey player. Come to think of it, maybe the two weren't so far connected. "I miss you."

"I miss you, too." They walked over to baggage claim and he picked up her luggage. Just as he expected, Sydney definitely over packed. "So how many days are you staying again?"

Sydney playfully socked him in his arm. "Just three."

"Hmm…we gotta change that."

"Oh?" Sydney felt embarrassed. "Did I overdo it for three days?"

"Yeah, you did." He answered. "I don't want you here for three days."

"Oh." Sydney looked down at her feet. She guessed at that point, she didn't need the talk with Dean after all. He told her everything she wanted to know within the first few minutes of her trip. It was going to be a long and painfully drawn out visit. Oh well. She knew the truth and that was that. "I see."

"You should've packed like you're going to permanently stay here."

Sydney went from feeling like the lowest of the low to being confused about what everything. It was like if someone took her emotions, stuffed them in a tumbler, and jumbled them all up and handed them back to her as if nothing ever happened. "You have a wicked way of playing with a girl's emotions."

The two walked hand-in-hand to the parking lot. "Well, I have to keep you on your toes somehow."

Manhattan Beach was everything Dean promised it was going to be. Sunny, clean, friendly. Swaying palm trees to the slight breeze and the crisp scent of the ocean air. It was deathly quiet, which shocked Sydney. No frat parties. No paparazzi. The homes looked similar but not Stepford Wife-ish. Dean explained to her that most of the team were married and had families and that they were more of a community, than just teammates.

Sydney didn't know if Dean was selling her a fantasy or just merely explaining his quality of life. Either way, she brought it hook, line, and sinker.

Dean's home was very impressive. It had five bedrooms, three bathrooms, and a two-car garage. The living room boasted of high-vaulted ceilings that led to an open kitchen with a corner wet bar. Dean's bedroom was located on the second floor and had a private balcony with French doors that opened out to a beach view. The master bathroom, Sydney correctly assumed, was bigger than her bedroom. In fact, it was twice as big.

"You have a very nice home, Dean." She looked around his bedroom. "I'm impressed."

"I would take credit for decorating but I really don't care about any of that. My mother couldn't stand coming over and saw nothing but white walls and bare floors so I just told her whatever she thought looked good, I'll just write a check." Dean looked around his bedroom as he sat on his California King size bed. His bedroom also boasted of high vaulted ceilings and had a fireplace. A large flat TV hung on the wall across from the bed. "She did pretty good."

"I'll say." Sydney casually folded her arms. "She did very well."

"Yeah, but you know what?"

"Hmm?"

He removed his shirt. "I have a beautiful and incredibly sexy girlfriend standing just a little too far from me, when she should be over here, taking full advantage of me being uninjured and maybe just slightly unhinged." Dean laid back on the bed and beckoned Sydney to come to him.

Sydney removed her shirt and climbed on top of Dean. "I guess I have to correct that, huh?"

"I guess so."


End file.
